Meet the railway systems machines

Crossrail's Fleet of Bespoke Machines to Fit-Out the Tunnels

A fleet of bespoke machines were used in the fit-out of Crossrail's tunnels. Find out more about each of the machines below.

Crossrail's giant concreting train

The 465 metre long concreting train is a sophisticated mobile underground concrete batching factory. The concreting train played a key role for Crossrail in installing the permanent track on the eastern section of the route.

Dry materials are loaded onto the concreting train which then batches the concrete.

The concreting train was refurbished and brought to the UK from France via the Channel Tunnel in August 2015. It was based at Plumstead and used in the installation of standard track slab.

Concrete pouring took place during the night with restocking and maintenance carried out during the day.

The ability to mix and batch concrete on the move meant the concreting train was able to deliver a high daily output - at peak production it installed over 300 metres of concrete track slab a day.

When the concreting train was not operating in the tunnels it had to be split in two due to its size and located on two of the eight railhead tracks.

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Gallery - Crossrail's giant concreting train

Concreting train stabled in yard at Plumstead railhead_210239

Concreting train being loaded with aggregate at Plumstead railhead_210207

Concreting train begins first journey on Crossrail_210306

Switches going down to Plumstead Portal_211246

Concreting train begins first journey on Crossrail_210221

Concreting train begins first journey on Crossrail_210328

Concreting train in Thames Tunnel_212902

Concreting train in Thames Tunnel_212905

Concreting train in Thames Tunnel_212907

View inside concreting train control cab_211823

Multi-purpose gantries

A bespoke fleet of four multi-purpose gantries was used to carry over 70,000 sleepers and 57km of rail inside the tunnels as part of the initial sequence of works to build the new tracks.

Each gantry, operated by a single person, ran along the raised curbed sides of the tunnel’s first stage concrete.

After positioning 108 metre long sections of rail along a stretch of tunnel, the gantry then carried and deposited sleepers at carefully measured intervals, before lifting the rail into place on top of them. The track was secured in place using clips, props and jigs before it is welded and the formation concreted into position.

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Gallery - Crossrail's multi-purpose gantries

Rail waiting to be lifted onto sleepers in entrance to Thames Tunnel_212876

Multi-purpose gantry in use in Crossrail Thames Tunnel_210314

Multi-purpose gantry in use in Crossrail Thames Tunnel_210319

Multi-purpose gantry in use in Crossrail Thames Tunnel_212912

Multi-purpose gantry in use in Crossrail Thames Tunnel_212856

Multi-purpose gantry in use in Crossrail Thames Tunnel_212859

Multi-purpose gantry in use in Crossrail Thames Tunnel_212475

Multi-purpose gantry lifting sleepers into place in Thames Tunnel_212386

Multi-purpose gantry lifting sleepers into place in Thames Tunnel_214836

Multi-purpose gantry in use in Crossrail Thames Tunnel near Woolwich station_212873

Multi-purpose gantry lifting sleepers into place in Thames Tunnel_214854

Multi-purpose gantry lifting sleepers into place in Thames Tunnel_214857

Multi-purpose gantry lifting sleepers into place in Thames Tunnel_214860

Concrete shuttle

To support permanent track installation in the Crossrail tunnels between Royal Oak Portal and Bond Street, a concrete shuttle was used to transport concrete from the temporary railhead at Westbourne Park.

Pre-mixed fibre reinforced concrete from the batching plant was loaded onto the shuttle, delivered into the tunnels and pumped into place.

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Gallery - Crossrail's concrete shuttle

Concrete shuttle approaching Paddington station_239615

Concrete shuttle approaching Paddington station_239621

Concrete shuttle approaching Paddington station_239622

Concrete shuttle approaching Paddington station_239626

Track installation work between Royal Oak Portal and Paddington_239627

Track installation work between Royal Oak Portal and Paddington_239632

Track installation work between Royal Oak Portal and Paddington_239690

Track installation work between Royal Oak Portal and Paddington_239647

Track installation work between Royal Oak Portal and Paddington_239640

Rail and sleepers installed through Paddington station prior to concrete being poured_239658

Track installation work between Royal Oak Portal and Paddington_239649

Permanent Crossrail track installed between Royal Oak Portal and Paddington_239683

Permanent Crossrail track installed between Royal Oak Portal and Paddington_239678

Permanent Crossrail track installed between Royal Oak Portal and Paddington_239676

Drilling rig

A state-of-the-art drilling rig, comprising two machine components, moved through the tunnels drilling more than 250,000 holes in the tunnel lining.

The first machine drilled all the holes that will accommodate brackets for cabling, walkways and fire mains while the second machine drills the holes for overhead power equipment which will power the new Crossrail trains.

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Gallery - Crossrail's state-of-the-art drilling machine

Crossrail's state-of-the-art drilling rig_216496

Crossrail drilling rig working in Thames Tunnel_229934

Crossrail drilling rig working in Thames Tunnel_229892

Crossrail drilling rig working in Thames Tunnel_229901

Crossrail drilling rig working in Thames Tunnel_229944

Crossrail drilling rig working in Thames Tunnel_229947

Crossrail drilling rig working in Thames Tunnel_229971

Construction trains

Crossrail used a fleet of construction trains to help deliver sleepers, rails and other materials into the Crossrail tunnels.